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Dr. Randal Boman has been named by Oklahoma State University as director of the OSU Southwest Research and Extension Center south of Altus, Okla. Also scheduled to serve as director of the OSU Extension Service state cotton program, Boman replaces Dr. J.C. Banks, who retired in 2010. Boman's new responsibilities with OSU will begin March 1, 2011. A native of Oklahoma, Boman grew up on a farm near Snyder in Kiowa County. He graduated from Snyder High School and became a student at OSU. He earned BS, MS and PhD degrees from OSU. "It is interesting to remember," he said, "as a graduate student, I worked at the OSU station near Altus. Now, years later, I will be returning to the same location." Currently, Boman is a professor and Extension agronomist for cotton at the Texas AgriLife Center at Lubbock, Texas. Working with cotton farmers on the Texas High Plains, Boman covers an area from Seminole and Lamesa, north to the end of the Texas Panhandle. "Helping cotton farmers turn a profit takes up 100 percent of my time," Boman said. Before moving to Lubbock, Boman was a Texas A&M extension agronomist at their research and extension center near Vernon. Prior to joining Texas A&M, he worked in soil fertility and crop science for the Nobel Foundation at Ardmore, Okla. "We are fortunate and certainly glad to welcome Dr. Boman back on the Oklahoma side of the Red River," said Harvey Schroeder, executive director of the Oklahoma Cotton Council. "I know I speak for myself and all the members of the Oklahoma Cotton Council board of directors to welcome Dr. Boman joining the effort to grow better cotton in Oklahoma."

Cotton profit is goal

Boman says his primary effort will be to "make cotton production more profitable for Oklahoma cotton producers. Many new developments such as new transgenic cotton varieties are just around the corner to further revolutionize cotton production. “These new varieties with enhanced production qualities and built-in resistance to insects and disease will be available for farmers to plant starting in 2011," he said. "This, coupled with new growing technology and plenty of encouragement from a bullish market, should make 2011 a year of promise and challenge for cotton producers. I am looking forward to my future working with Oklahoma cotton growers." Boman encourages producers to start now making important decisions on their 2011 cotton-growing season. "Selection of new varieties and soil testing are just two of many things cotton farmers can be doing to get ready for spring planting." he said. TALKIN' COTTON is produced by NTOK Cotton, a cotton industry partnership which promotes and encourages increased cotton production on the Rolling Plains of North Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. For more information on the cotton scene, see ntokcotton.org and okiecotton.org. For questions and comments on Talkin' Cotton, contact eventerprise1@hughes.net.